The United States has consistently been a country dependent on cars and the auto industry, but times are changing. In cities like Washington D.C. where bumper-to-bumper traffic is a daily nuisance, more and more Americans are looking for ways to avoid getting behind the wheel. People want to be able to walk or bike to grocery stores, parks, restaurants, and other amenities from their homes and not have to worry about parking, which is why cities with high Walk, Bike, and Transit scores are more popular than ever with home buyers all over the country. Carless living is the future, and several great American cities have already adopted an infrastructure that supports a car free lifestyle. D.C. is one of them.
In a recent analysis conducted by Redfin, all U.S. cities with a population greater than 300,000 people were ranked depending on their composite Walk Score, Bike Score, and Transit Score. Washington D.C. and the surrounding metro area came in as the fourth best city in the country for carless living, only eclipsed by Boston, New York, and San Francisco (in that order). Philadelphia, Chicago, Minneapolis, Miami, Seattle, and Oakland closed out the top ten. D.C. scored a 70 for public transit, but there are also more than 400 Capital Bikeshare stations for those who prefer to cycle and plenty of walkable neighborhoods stretching from the capital down to Fairfax County.
Neighborhoods all over Arlington, Alexandria, and D.C. are embracing new urban development projects that support carless living by building more bike lanes, Metro stations, and by widening the sidewalks. The D.C. metro area has been actively promoting a “car-free diet” in recent years and thoroughly deserves being ranked within the top five best cities to live without a car. Gas prices, traffic, environmental concerns, and the cost and hassle of finding somewhere to park are all factors influencing the carless living trend in America, but think of the money you could save by going carless. Give up the car and use the extra cash to check out a museum, a new restaurant, or put it towards a downpayment on a new house!
If you’re ready to embrace carless living, contact the Keri Shull Team to find the perfect place to do it! We’d love to show you around our favorite D.C. and Northern Virginia neighborhoods and help you find your dream home.
